Changes to General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR)
Published: 19th December 2024
On Friday 13 December, the new General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) for companies selling into the EU and Northern Ireland came into effect.
These supersede the previous General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) and introduce new requirements.
The update applies to UK businesses selling jewellery, watches, silverware, or associated consumer goods into Europe and Northern Ireland (B2B and B2C).
The primary goal of these regulations is to ensure European consumers have a direct contact point to report issues related to product safety. This enables manufacturers to take appropriate action regarding affected batches or collections. Any business selling into the EU—whether based in China, the United States, India, or any other non-EU country—must comply with the GPSR.
These regulations also apply to businesses operating within the EU. For UK businesses, the GPSR will specifically affect the sale of jewellery into the EU and Northern Ireland if the products were manufactured from 13 December 2024 onwards.
Important note: products manufactured before this date are outside the scope of the GPSR. However, businesses may need to provide proof of the manufacturing date to confirm compliance. Enforcement plans from regulatory agencies have yet to be announced, however we will monitor developments closely and update you as new information becomes available.
Sheffield Assay Office will soon issue guidance notes to help you negotiate your way through the new regulations.
The testing of products for harmful metals such as nickel, lead and cadmium is obviously a critical area to ensure product compliance. The office offers these tests through our accredited analytical laboratory. Please contact us if you would like more advice and information regarding the testing requirements on 0114 231 2121 or by email.
The Sheffield Assay Office was established in 1773, under an Act of Parliament and today the company assays and hallmarks the precious metals - silver, gold, platinum and palladium. Sheffield Assay Office is one of only four UK assay offices who all work to uphold the Hallmarking Act of 1973 and continue to ensure consumer protection for customers purchasing precious metals.
To find out more about the whole range of services offered by Sheffield Assay Office, such as our hallmarking and analytical services, please email us at info@assayoffice.co.uk or complete the contact form on our website at http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/contact-us ,
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